Rail bond



March 10, 1953 H. w. HICKS 2,630,974

RAIL BOND Filed Sept. 10, 1948 "26 Fmg M TTORNEY before assembly Patented Mar. 10, 1953 Horace W. Hicks, maha, Nebr. Application'september 10, 1948, Serial o. 48,'659

2 'Claims My invention relates to rail bonds Yto electrically/connect the adjacent'ends ofa'btting rails 'and which may be braz'ed or Welded Ato 'the rails to frn therewith `an integral "part thereby providing Ia connection betvv'e'enthe rails of high Aelectrical 'eliciency vand which is of "a 'simple economical con-struction v"Which'i'n'ay be quickly a'ied to "the rails.

Itis also 'an object-df niy'inv'entio'nto `provide -va rail bond *which f'nay be enonially `manu-- Anotherbbject Hof iny invention is to provide a `rail bn'd 'in which Athe 'conductor ends may Contact the vrail surface thereby reducing "the cn'ta'ct 'resistance Hto a very lov'v value.

Another object is to provide a Vbond in which the faces of the'terhinals vto be attachedto the rail are Acoated With the brazin'gm'etal forming an 'integral part of 'the terminal.

-A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel and quick method 'of attaching the rail bond to the rail.

The above and other objects, together With a full description of my bond,'the`rnthod oimanu- Vfactureand the method of application'tothe rail are set forth in the specification and claims and the annexed drawing.

In vthe drawing- Fig. l is a top plan View oimy bond.

FigfA is a side elevation of Figfl.

Fig. Sis a top plan view of one-of the terrinals with the conductor. Fig. 4 is an end view of the left handend of VvFig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinalpartial section of an assembled terminal on the line 5-'5 of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section of an assembled terminal on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are threeposition'views of a --jig which may be usedin drilling the terminal,

nainely top and side 'and end views respectively. Fig. 1G is an end view of arail with `aterniinal positioned thereon and shovvjing a means forsup- "I employ a pair of spaced terminals! Yconnected by a conductor 2. The terminals I are preferably Aof a non-corroding 'non-ferrous metal such 'as'coppen bronze Yor brass but may be of a ferrous metal in some cases. The Yconductor 2 is jprferably of copper or f-a'coppe'r "ally sih as Phosplfior bronze 'preferably liarddraivn. 'Il'ie TPTENT 0F .1F ICE The 'terminals Yshown in Figs. 'v1 "to 6 inclusive 'are 'somewhat larger than necessary while vrthat shown in Figs. l0 and "1"1 i's vmore `nearly 4'the preferred size namely, about L1 long, isa by in 'cros'ssection One of the objects of rnyiinventionisto provide "a construction 'in AWhich th'e "en'ds of the conductor 2 may be brought into direct Contact with the rail face or'subtantiallysa-asdesired, and 'therefore I have "devisedwhat vI believe to be a novel method and nieansfor accomplishmg this object.

The terminal "body 'is formed 'to vthe desired size and shape "and preferably 'bf copper or copper alloy andmay 1have squareiorrounde'd-ends er of other coniigurati'on. "To mount the conductor Vend in 'thete'rmin'als'o as to engagethe 'rail or substantially'so theterminal is provided with a channel 3 Whic'hisifo'rm'ed by'drilling longitudinally from the rv'outer V"end of 'the terminal,

'the channel y3 bngparalll Vto andlso related 'to the attaching `face 4 of -tlre "terminal as to form a slot 5 of substantially'uni'form Widthfor 'I he drill used is sbstantiallyf the diameter o'f the 'conductor' or a trifle greater whereby the end Of'tlie conductor 'Will rest-ih thechannel 3 and a portionf it`s"l`o'ngitudinal 'surface project which will be better undertsood from an inspection'of Figs. 3tof6 inclusive.

' By regulating 'the "position "of Lthe :drill with reference to @the iattachi'ngsurface 4, the Width t'ween terminals be" spaced 'from the rail surface 'to the longitudinal 'axis 'ofthe lterminal or of the channel 3 'or'fac'efl from the'innerend of the terminalst'arting'atfa point' spaced from the surface '4. The angle being 'suchthatthe channel E Will Vintersect' the channel-3. "This may cause Vthe. drilltopenetrate'the surface 4 and slightly enlarge' the width 'f'the slot "5 vasat "1. I'have found that if the `angle -ais about"25ldegrees the-conductor will. leavethe endffthe terminal with a not -toosliarp a bend at -b-.

Itis now possiblev to nsert'the 'end f' the con- 3 ductor 2 into the channel 6 and cause it to be moved into and along the channel 3 as shown in Fig. 5. By entering the conductor through the channel 6 the conductor is olf-set from the rail somewhat which is desirable.

After the conductor end has been positioned in the terminal a sheet of silver brazing alloy of desired thickness and of a size to cover the face It of the terminal is positioned on the face 4 and heat is applied sufficient only to heat the terminal end of the conductor and the silver brazing alloy until the alloy is fused and runs whereupon some of the silver alloy will flow into the channel 3 and unite the conductor to the surface of the channel 3 and the balance of the fused metal will unite with` the surface 4 of the terminal forming a layer or film 3 thereon to be used to unite the terminal to the rail. The attaching face 4 of the terminal is coated with the brazing alloy and the conductor brazed in position in one and the same heating operation.

While the brazing alloy may be the usual copper-zinc alloy I prefer to use what is known as silver brazing alloy or solder and one having a fusing point considerably lower than that of the terminal especially must this be watched if the terminal is made of brass. I have found that a silverI solder melting at about i200 degrees F. and which flows at a slightly higher temperature gives excellent results.

I have further found that if the silver solder is cut from a sheet of about .015" thick and applied to the -attaching face of the terminal and conductor as above described the resulting nlm of brazing alloy remaining on the attaching face l of the terminal will be about .008 thick or if thicker then the brazing metal should be dressed to that thickness.

When a bond with terminals coated with about .008 of silver solder is applied to the rail some of the solder will be squeezed from between the terminals and rail leaving an attaching ilm of silver brazing alloy about .003 thick and the excess solder will form a small llet around the terminal at the rail.

I prefer to use silver brazing alloy or solder because I have found it to give a stronger attachment of the terminals to the rail than nonsilver solders but the thickness of the film between the terminal and rail should be kept relatively small to secure the greatest shearing strength.

In order to provide the terminal with the channels 3 and 6 I have found it quite advantageous to use a jig in which the terminal may be placed and the drill guided to form the channels as required.

This jig may be of any desirable construction to secure the proper results but I have shown in Figs. "I, 8 and 9 a jig which may be used and which consists of two parts, a body 2l and a cover 22. The body has a recess 23 formed in one face of a size to receive the terminal and hold it nrrnly while being drilled.

From one end of the body 2l leads a guide channel 2G of the drill size proper for the channel 3 and conductor 2 and properly positioned with respect to the recess 23 to properly position the channel 3. It will be noted in Fig. 9 that the terminal will fit between the face 25 and shoulders 26 and be held rigidly while drilling the channel 3.

At the opposite end of the form a guide channel 2l (see Fig. 8) is provided of proper drill size n and of proper angle awhereby the channel 4 6 may be formed in the terminal and the axis of which will intersect the axis of the drill guide 24.

When the terminal is in position in the recess 23 its ends will substantially contact the end faces of the recess and when the cover 22 is in place the terminal will be held practically immovable.

The cover may be held by a clamp such as a C clamp or any other suitable means well known to those skilled in the mechanical arts, and dowel pins used if desired to guide the cover into proper position.

The installation of the bond is accomplished preferably by a multiple llame burner 4I suitable for a mixture of oxygen and acetylene gases or others.

in Figs. 10 and ll I show a very simple apparatus and a bond terminal I positioned on the side face of a rail 42 adjacent its end and a simple form of burner 4! provided with a plurality (4) of jets 43 capable of producing very small llames 44. The burner is hollow and the gases fed to it through the tubes i5 and 46. Arms il support the terminal and position the burner relative to the rail and terminal and the burner and arms are mounted on a suitable support 48. The gas flow is regulated by valves 49.

The burner may be supported by other means as well known in the -art and a much more elaborate equipment may be devised for applying heat. It will 'be noted that the flames 44 are applied directly against the rail and not against the terminal l. This is preferable as the rail mass is much greater than that of the bond terminal and when the rail has reached the fusing ternperature of the brazing metal 8 the heat on the terminal will be substantially the same.

I am reserving for another application a more complicated and automatically controlled apparatus for applying heat to the rail.

if desired a iux may be used both when the coating 8 is being applied to the terminal and when the bond is being installed on the rail; fluxes for this work are in common use.

Where a single name is applied to the bond terminal and rail simultaneously, the brazing metal is very likely to be fused before the rail is sumciently heated for the molten brazing metal to wet the rail surface and form a strong coherence therewith hence a weak union but by applying a plurality of small llames directly to the rail adjacent the bond terminal the two parts are brought substantially to a uniform heat and the solder fused to the rail surface to form a proper coherence.

Also a plurality of small flames applied as above is more economical in gas consumption than a single large name which spreads over the terminal and adjacent rail surface.

In applying the bond the rail surface should be ground or otherwise treated to remove the scale, rust and grease and it is advisable to employ a flux of which there are many kinds supplied by those selling brazing materials and pressure should be applied to the terminal at the time of applying heat.

In applying the brazing alloy, care should be taken to keep the same out of the channel 6. If the conductor is well attached to the surface of the channel 3 by the brazing alloy, that is entirely sufficient and the conductor is left free in the channel 6.

The channel 3 may be formed for the entire length of the terminal if desired in which case the slot 5 will extend for the length of the terminal providing the channel 3 is formed parallel Lto the attaching face 4.

While the channels 3 and 6 are referred to as drilled, they may be formed by other means as for instance should the terminal be formed by forging.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A rail bond comprising a pair of spaced terminals of metal, each terminal having a substantially monoplanar surface extending the entire length and Width of one side of the terminal and adapted to be integrally attached to a side face of a rail head, each terminal having a longitudinal channel extending along and parallel to the plane of said monoplanar surface and opening into the said surface, each terminal having a second channel extending from one end of the terminal in an angular direction to said surface and opening into the first said channel, a conductor having its ends extending through the angularly disposed channels and along the first said channels and united to the terminals to electrically connect said terminals together, a layer of brazing alloy over the said monoplanar surfaces and covering the portions of the conductors exposed through the said surface, and brazing alloy in the rst said channels and uniting the conductor to the terminals, whereby the terminals and conductor ends may be attached to a rail head side face.

2. An article of manufacture for attachment to a rail comprising a terminal having a substantially monoplanar surface extending the entire length and width of one side of the terminal and adapted to be integrally attached to a side face of a rail head, a longitudinal channel extending along and parallel to the plane of said monoplanar surface and opening into the said surface, a second channel extending from one end of the terminal in an angular direction to said surface and intersecting the first said channel, a conductor having an end positioned in said channels, the first said channel being so constructed and related to the monoplanar surface that a portion of the longitudinal surface of the conductor is exposed at the'said monoplanar surface side of the terminal, a layer of brazing alloy over the said monoplanar surface and covering the longitudinal portion of the conductor exposed through the said surface, and brazing alloy in the first said channel and uniting the conductor to the terminal, whereby the terminal and conductor end may be attached to a rail head side face.

HORACE W. HICKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 461,562 Ball Oct. 20, 1891 464,022 Hield Dec. 1, 1891 656,125 Kleinschmidt Aug. 14, 1900 802,967 Brown Oct. 31, 1905 1,268,328 Crecilius June 4, 1918 1,276,426 Slimp Aug. 20, 1918 1,369,927 Linderman Mar. 1, 1921 1,513,805 Febrey Nov. 4, 1924 1,673,424 Ryderv June 12, 1928 1,675,750 Dahlstrom et al July 3, 1928 1,852,694 Cadwell Apr. 5, 1932 1,865,717 Nardini July 5, 1932 1,996,721 Gibbs Apr. 2, 1935 2,014,983 Quarnstrom Sept. 17, 1935 2,022,544 Huber Nov. 26, 1935 2,180,318 Deems Nov 14, 1939 2,251,176 Temple, Jr. July 29, 1941 

